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Living Tradition, The Kwakwaka'wakw Potlatch on the Northwest Coast

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Lesson 10

Play / Pause — Potlatch Means to Give

Film: Barbara Cranmer, UCC

View Transcript Video Downloads Transcript txt / 1KB
Video mp4 / 1:30 / 17.7MB
Video ogv / 1:30 / 14MB
Video webm / 1:30 / 21.1MB
Video mp4 DV / 1:30 / 24.1MB
Video ogv DV / 1:30 / 15.3MB
Video webm DV / 1:30 / 22.6MB

My people, the Kwakwaka'wakw, have been guided by our ancestors. Our stories of origin are based on our first ancestors. Ceremonial masks tell of our beginning and share our identity and where we come from.

When one's heart is glad, he gives away gifts. It was given to us by our creator, our way of doing things, of who we are. The potlatch was given to us as a way of expressing joy. Everyone on Earth is given something. This was given to us.

Today, most potlatches are held as memorials for loved ones. Mourning songs are sung to shake off the sadness, wipe away tears, and set the spirit free.

Mute — Potlatch Means to Give

Film: Barbara Cranmer, UCC

View Transcript Video Downloads Transcript txt / 1KB
Video mp4 / 1:30 / 17.7MB
Video ogv / 1:30 / 14MB
Video webm / 1:30 / 21.1MB
Video mp4 DV / 1:30 / 24.1MB
Video ogv DV / 1:30 / 15.3MB
Video webm DV / 1:30 / 22.6MB

My people, the Kwakwaka'wakw, have been guided by our ancestors. Our stories of origin are based on our first ancestors. Ceremonial masks tell of our beginning and share our identity and where we come from.

When one's heart is glad, he gives away gifts. It was given to us by our creator, our way of doing things, of who we are. The potlatch was given to us as a way of expressing joy. Everyone on Earth is given something. This was given to us.

Today, most potlatches are held as memorials for loved ones. Mourning songs are sung to shake off the sadness, wipe away tears, and set the spirit free.

Play / Pause — Why We Potlatch

Film: Barbara Cranmer

View Transcript Video Downloads Transcript txt / 740B
Video mp4 / 1:16 / 12.3MB
Video ogv / 1:16 / 8.3MB
Video webm / 1:16 / 17.1MB
Video mp4 DV / 1:16 / 18.2MB
Video ogv DV / 1:16 / 9MB
Video webm DV / 1:16 / 17.6MB

Potlatch, as our people practice it, was a way of passing down our history, of keeping our history alive.

When a Chief wanted to name a child, he invited people to witness and the history of that name would be told to the guests. If there was an Indian marriage, property and rights were transferred from the wife to the husband. There were probably a number of reasons why the people of the day wanted to stop our potlatches, and I believe it was partly due to misunderstanding - they didn't understand what our ceremonies were all about.

The other thing was they just thought they were better than us - we had no structure as a society, which was wrong - we did have a structure, which was the potlatch, our method of handing down our history.

Mute — Why We Potlatch

Film: Barbara Cranmer

View Transcript Video Downloads Transcript txt / 740B
Video mp4 / 1:16 / 12.3MB
Video ogv / 1:16 / 8.3MB
Video webm / 1:16 / 17.1MB
Video mp4 DV / 1:16 / 18.2MB
Video ogv DV / 1:16 / 9MB
Video webm DV / 1:16 / 17.6MB

Potlatch, as our people practice it, was a way of passing down our history, of keeping our history alive.

When a Chief wanted to name a child, he invited people to witness and the history of that name would be told to the guests. If there was an Indian marriage, property and rights were transferred from the wife to the husband. There were probably a number of reasons why the people of the day wanted to stop our potlatches, and I believe it was partly due to misunderstanding - they didn't understand what our ceremonies were all about.

The other thing was they just thought they were better than us - we had no structure as a society, which was wrong - we did have a structure, which was the potlatch, our method of handing down our history.

Lesson 10

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